Mini-flora rose plant named ‘BENswise’

ABSTRACT

The fragrant, magenta-rose colored flowers of his new invention are held nicely above the foliage, primarily in small clusters. The plant is of a medium size and upright growing habit and rarely seen without some color.

CROSS REFERENCE

This invention bears resemblance to ‘BENiowa’ (not patented), a rosefrom this same breeding program, sharing the same seed parent of‘KORivo’ (not patented). Both plants are upright and well branched,growing to about the same average height of three feet, even though‘BENiowa’ was registered as a floribunda. Both have fragrant, hybrid teaform flowers with similar petal counts, borne in small clusters. The newinvention has flowers of a magenta-rose, while ‘BENiowa’ has flowers ofwhite with a band of red along the margins and blending down into thepetals.

This new invention may also be compared to ‘BENfig’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No.8,020) from the same breeding program, which shares the same pollenparent of ‘KORmulen’ (not patented). Both have relatively compact,upright, and well-branched plant habits. Both bloom near continuouslywith hydrid tea from flowers. They have similar petal counts withmoderately thick petals and a satiny to velvety texture. ‘BENfig’, beinga miniature rose, is an overall smaller plant than this new invention.The flowers of ‘BENfig’ are white edged with pink compared to flowers ofmagenta-rose on this new invention.

Genus and species: Rosa hybrida.

Varietal denomination: ‘BENswise’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of hardy,bush-type rose plant. This new variety is from a single seedlingoriginated by Frank A. Benardella under controlled conditions in agreenhouse in Millstone Township (formerly Englishtown), N.J., bycrossing the following two rose plants:

-   -   • The seed parent is ‘KORivo’ (not patented), a floribunda rose        with cream-ivory flowers.    -   • The pollen parent is ‘KORmulen’ (not patented; trade name,        Laguna), a red hybrid tea rose.

The new invention is easily distinguished from its parents:

THIS PRESENT SEED POLLEN INVENTION, PARENT, PARENT, ‘BENswise’ ‘KORivo’‘KORmulen’ CLASS Mini-Flora Floribunda Hybrid tea BLOOM Magenta-roseCream-Ivory Medium-red COLOR BLOOM Borne singly and in Borne in largeBorne primari- HABIT small clusters; larger sprays and ly singly; re-clusters on candelabra clusters; near peats in cycles stems, whenpresent; continuous throughout the near continuous throughout theseason. throughout the season. season. FLOWER Double Semi-double Fullydouble FRAGRANCE Moderate Fragrance Moderate to Strong strong FragranceFragrance PLANT Upright, 18 to 36 4 to 5 feet tall Upright, 3 to 4 HABITinches with width and well feet. becoming about ⅔ its rounded height.

The primary goal of this breeding program is to produce unique roseswith award winning, hybrid tea form on plants having favorableattributes that will increase public appeal. To achieve this goal rosesare selected for this hybridizing program primarily by the quality oftheir hybrid tea form. Pertaining to this particular cross, the seedparent, ‘KORivo’, has hybrid tea form flowers with very high centers asthey begin to open. The pollen parent for this new invention,‘KORmulen’, has been noted to pass on the trait of hybrid tea flowerform in a wide range of colors. The resulting new cultivar has beennamed ‘BENswise’, with the trade name of Dejá Blu. Asexual reproductionof this new cultivar by cuttings, in Millstone Township, N.J., andArroyo Grande, Calif., have shown that all distinguishingcharacteristics of this rose continually come true to form.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of a hardy,bush type, rose plant, which has several features that distinguish itfrom other presently available roses. Its magenta-rose, hybrid tea formflowers are borne above the plant in such a manner that they stand outmagnificently against the dark-green glossy foliage. Othercharacteristics that help distinguish it from all other varieties ofwhich I am aware are:

-   -   • Its lack of thorns.    -   • Its flowers of a magenta-rose with little fade.    -   • It's near continuous bloom cycle.    -   • Flowers that open slowly.    -   • Its upright and compact habit.    -   • Its sweet fragrance.    -   • Its marcescent petals.    -   • A plant that grows and blooms very well, in both a greenhouse        and outdoors, as a perennial garden decoration or in large        containers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying illustration was taken in September, and is of3-year-old plants of this new invention, growing in the ground in ArroyoGrande, Calif. The image, as presented, shows the plants atapproximately one-third their actual size. Flowers and foliage of thisnew invention are visible in various stages of development. Color is asnearly correct as possible to make in a color illustration of thecharacter.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

Unless otherwise noted, the following observations, measurements, valuesand comparisons are from a five-year-old plant of Rosa hybrida,‘BENswise’, as grown outdoors in Ipswich, Mass. The plant was receivedin Massachusetts in a 12-inch plastic nursery container in artificialsoil mix in April, 2008. in July, 2008, it was transplanted into a15-inch plastic container in a peat moss and compost mix. Observationwas continued through October. Phenotypic expression may vary withenvironmental, cultural, and climatic conditions. Color references aremade using The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, except wherecommon terms of color are used.

FLOWERS

Blooming habit was fast repeat to near continuous. Buds and flowers areborne in tight clusters, usually of three or four, and also singly. Onthe mature plant, new flowers grow up in such a manner they begin toopen just after the old flowers become unsightly.

Buds were ovate with an acute tip and obtuse base. From plants out ofthe California greenhouse, buds were about ¾ inch long with a diameterof about 9/16 inch. In Massachusetts, buds would be about 11/16 inchlong with a diameter of about ½ inch.

When fully expanded, blooms were not symmetrical, having diametersaround 2 1/16 inches by 2 9/16 inches with a depth varying between 19/32 and 1 13/32 inches. (Coming out of the California greenhouse, fullyexpanded blooms were measured considerably larger: diameters varied from3 2/16 inches by 3 5/16 inches to 3 11/16 inches by 3 15/16 inches; anddepths varied from 1 5/16 to 1 6/16 inches, not respective to diameters.More of the blooms were near the larger size.) The blooms began to openwith a flat upper profile and urceolate lower profile. The upper profileon the open flower was usually flattened convex. The lower profilebecame flattened convex.

Petalage was counted at 20 to 33 with 3 to 6 petaloids. Outer petalmargins recurve gently as the petals unfurl. In the full open flower, at50° to 70° F. petals lasted about 10 days on the plant before theystarted to wither. They did not drop readily from the receptacle.Fragrance was noted as mild to moderate and sweet.

Petals were of a medium thickness with excellent substance. The adaxialsurface was slightly satiny to velvety. The abaxial surface was satiny.All veins were recessed on the adaxial surface. Main veins protruded alittle on the abaxial surface as they radiated out from the point ofattachment. Primary lateral veins protruded to a lesser degree. Outerpetals were round to oblate, having an obtuse base and rounded, crenate,wavy margins that were notched on either side of the apex. Intermediatepetals were broad fan shaped and margins were rounded and sometimesentire and sometimes emarginated. Inner petals were obtuse with rounded,entire margins. Apices were apiculate. The outer margins recurvedslightly from the time they began to unfurl and increased a bit as thebloom opened. The outermost petals in the full-blown flower weremeasured 2 to 2⅛ inches wide and 1 13/16 to 1 15/16 inches long.

Color when sepals first divide was a blend of a dark Cardinal Red, near53A, and a dark Ruby Red, near 61A. During the first few days theadaxial surface of the petals was noted as a purple-red, near 61B,suffused with a blend of near 53A and near 61A. Basal area was a verypale yellow-green, between 154D and 1D, from the point of attachment,and became white, near 155D as it radiated out into the petal. Theabaxial surface was between 61B and 61C, and lighter, near 59D, alongthe margins and veins, with areas first exposed when the sepals dividedbeing near 61A. The basal area was near 1D from the point of attachmentand became near 155D as it radiated outward. When half open, the adaxialsurfaces of the outer petals lightened to between 64C and 66C. Thereverse had become a Magenta Rose near 64D, suffused with near 61B.Inner petals were a Phlox Pink, near 62B, with a reverse of a MagentaRose blend, near 64D suffused with near 64C. Basal areas of bothsurfaces were a light Primrose Yellow, near 4D from the point ofattachment, and became near 155D radiating outward along the veins intothe basal area.

When full blown, the adaxial surface of the outer petals had lightenedonly a little to between 64C to 64D and 66C, and with some suffusionnear 60D and 64C. The basal area was a Sulphur Yellow, near 6D, from thepoint of attachment and radiating into the basal area. The abaxialsurface had become near 64D, with near 57C, a Rose Bengal, toward thecenter of the petal and between 57B and 64D along the petal edges. Veinsradiating from the basal area were near 155A. The basal area and pointof attachment was near 1D. About five intermediate petals were lighter,with an adaxial surface of near 64D with a light suffusion and marginalarea of near 60C. Their basal area was near 4C from the point ofattachment, which became near 155D and radiated out into the basal areaand along the veins. The reverse of these petals was a Spiraea Red, near63B, with a Rhodamine Purple, near 68D, along the margins. Their basalarea was near 4D from the point of attachment, which became near 155D,and radiated out into the basal area. The adaxial surface of the innerpetals was near 62B and suffused very lightly with near 64C. On rareoccasions, there was a steak of near 64C on the petal surface. Thereverse was near 62C and suffused with near 64C, being darkest towardthe basal area. The basal area of both surfaces was the same as found onthe intermediate petals. Blooms age to a Magenta Rose near 186D, withouter petals remaining a little darker, between 186C and 66D, suffusedwith near 64C. The reverse of all petals had become Magnolia Purple,near 70D, suffused with near 63B.

Petaloids usually have white streaks visible on both surfaces, and mayhave a suffusion of near 63B and some streaking between 64C and 68A, butotherwise are the same color as the inner petals. They are misshapen,often with very ruffled margins. They may be a half petal with one edgebeing along the main vein; they may be oval shaped. The base narrowsrapidly to the point of attachment, sometimes appearing as a filamentand sometimes being attached with a filament. The smallest petaloidnoted was 3/16 inch wide and 5/16 inch long, which did not include thefilament to which it was attached. The largest petaloid was 1¾ incheswide and 2 9/16 inches wide, was narrow cordate with an oblique base.

Sepals: The flower has five, ovate-oblong sepals with attenuate apicesand truncated bases, permanently attached to the receptacle. Before thesepals divided, they extended beyond the tip of the bud by ½ inch on theflowers observed. The outer surfaces of the sepals were semi-glossy. Thecolor was a light yellow-green, between 145A and 145B, in the basal areaand up through the center, and darker, near 144A, toward and along themargins and apices. The basal area and up through the center of theinside surfaces was a very light yellow-green, near 145C. Along themargins was a darker yellow-green: on the two outer sepals it was near147B; on the three innermost sepals it was near 146C. Apices and foliarappendages were a darker green, near 141A. The outer surface of the twooutermost sepals was slightly coarse with a few stipitate glands nearthe base and a smattering of hairs across the surface. Foliar appendagesand apices were glabrous. There were three or more lanceolate, foliarappendages along each margin, with stipitate glands up to the firstfoliar appendage. On the foliar appendages, there were stipitate glandsalso along those margins toward the apex and one at the tip. The twoinnermost sepals were covered with a thicker and appressed pubescence,had ciliated margins, and the only gland was at the tip of the apex. Theone sepal in-between the inner and outer sepals displayedcharacteristics of both the inner and outer sepals, dividing down thecenter. It had foliar appendages along only one margin, a single glandat the apex, and a few stipitate glands near the base on the side withthe foliar appendage. Inside surfaces of all sepals had a fine, woolycovering that became heavier and somewhat matted toward the apex. Thesepals rolled back well ahead of the petals.

Receptacles on the newly opened flowers had a diameter of 9/32 to 10/32inch with a height most often of 6/16 inch. On flowers half open atexhibition stage, diameters had increased to 11/32 and heights werefound at 9/32 to 13/32 inch. The color of the receptacle was a mediumyellow green, between 144B and 144A. The surface was semi-glossy andsmooth with a smattering of appressed hairs. The top of the receptaclewas oval with a diameter 12/32 by 11/32 inch. The color was a very lightyellow-green, near 154D. There was a thick stand of white hairs, near159C, between the filaments and styles.

Peduncles are straight and very strong. Their girth was most often ⅛inch but varied from 7/64 to 10/64 inch. Lengths varied from 2⅛ to 2½inch. The surface appeared glabrous but had a sparse covering ofappressed hairs. The color was a medium yellow-green varying between146C and 146A.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

Stamens, filaments and anthers are arranged regularly around the styles,attached to the outer rim of the receptacle in two rows, staggered. Onthe full open flower, the filaments in the inner row were about 5/32inch long and those in the outer row were about 7/32 inch long.Approximately the lower three-fourths was a Spiraea Red near 63B, andthe upper one-fourth was Empire Yellow, near 11D. The abaxial surface ofonly the outer row of filaments appeared different: much lighter towardthe base, near 62D, became near 11D at the top, and the colors blendedtogether in-between. Total quantities varied from 61 to 76. Anthers werean Orange Buff, near 20C, with pollen sacs and pollen near 22A, YellowOchre.

Pistils, styles and stigmas were about half the quantity as stamens.Styles were thin, straight, and very uneven in length, varying from 3/32to 11/32, and lengths in any one flower varied by 6/32 to 8/32 inches.Their color was near 163B right below the stigma, becoming near 159C attheir bases. Stigmas were between 11C and 158A.

Hips were rounded-urceolate, being orbicular with only the top edgeflaring out slightly. Diameters were measured from 14/32 to 19/32 incheswith a height of ½ to ¾ inch. Colors on record for these hips is brightorange, near 169D and near 171B. Seeds protrude from the top on themature hip.

PLANT

The plant of this new rose is upright growing, with good vigor andmoderately full branching, to a mature height of 18 to 36 inches. Widthsobserved varied from 14 to 30 inches, usually relative to its height.Growth originated from a single cane, having a diameter of 13/16 inch.The first canes originating near the base of the main cane usually had adiameter of about ½ inch. Primary and secondary laterals from thesecanes had diameters of 12/32 to 15/32 inch at their bases. Floweringstems generally had a diameter about 5/32 inch and lengths varied from3¼ to 5⅞ inches. There were usually 4 to 7 nodes on flowering stems,with the longer stems usually having 6 or 7 nodes. New and old wood wereglabrous. The color of the new wood was a light yellow-green, between144C and 144B, and flushed with near 185B. As the canes aged, they lostthe anthocyanin coloring and became a darker yellow-green, near 146A.The oldest wood had lightened and was a muted medium green, near 191B.Lenticels probably started to form in the third year of growth, formingparallel lines from the base of the oldest canes. Lenticels were near191B and brown, near 200D.

Variations regarding the plant: A difference in day and nighttemperatures greater than around 30° F. can cause the plant to send uplong, very fast growing canes. These originate at or near the base ofthe plant and are often referred to as candelabras because of the largenumber of blooms originating near the top of a usually long cane. Onthis new invention, these canes have been observed to extend about teninches above the top of the crown of the plant and always terminate in alarge cluster of flowers. As may be seen throughout the accompanyingimage and more fully along the upper right side of the image, the colorof these canes was usually the same as new growth, being flushed theentire length with near 185B. They gradually become the same color asthe older wood on the plant. The largest leaves are usually found onthese candelabras.

FOLIAGE

Leaves generally had five to seven leaflets, though some only had three.Mature leaves were measured from 3¼ to 4 13/16 inches, regardless of thenumber of leaflets. On candelabra-type canes, some seven-leaflet leaveswere measured up to 6½ inches long. Leaflets were broadly ovate andtapered gradually to a point at the apex. Serration was medium, mostlysimple, and near even. There was a gland at the tip of each serrate.Leaflet bases were rounded except on terminal leaflets where they wereoblate. Terminal leaflets were measured from 1¾ to 2½ inches long and 1¼to 1½ inches wide, and up to 2⅞ inches long and 2 inches wide on leavesfrom the candelabras. Adaxial surfaces were glossy. Main veins wereentirely recessed, primary lateral veins were mostly recessed, andsecondary lateral veins were barely recessed. The abaxial surface wasmatte with main veins protruding entirely, primary lateral veinsprotruding somewhat and secondary lateral veins just barely. Newleaflets had a medium-green adaxial surface between 143A and 144A,flushed with near 187A. The abaxial surfaces were more yellow-green,near 146D, and heavily flushed with between 185A and 187B. Main veins ofabaxial surface of the young leaflets were near 183B; lateral veins wereoften flushed heavier than the leaflet surface. Anthocyanin colorationwas absent from older foliage; the upper surface was between 147A and139A, with the reverse near 147B.

Petioles varied from ½ to ⅞ inch, and up to 1 inch on leaves from thecandelabras. Generally, petioles were shorter on the seven-leafletleaves. The base was slanted making the petiole longer on one side thanthe other so occasionally one side was 2/32 to 3/32 longer than theother. The average girth was ⅛ inch. On the young leaf, the ridge alongthe crest of the adaxial surface was heavily flushed near 184B. Thegroove was lightly flushed with the same color. The underside wasflushed with near 182A. On older foliage, there was a fine line alongthe ridge that appeared the same color as the leaflet surface, between147A and 139A. The groove was much lighter, near 145C. The reverse wasnear 146B and became near 145B just before attaching to the stem. Therewere some stipitate glands along the ridge, and varying amounts of hairfrom none to many. In the grooves, there were none to many hairs withthe heaviest concentration toward the juncture with the rachis and thefirst set of petiolules, where there were also occasional stipes andstipitate glands. There were also a few stipes in the groove between thestipules.

The rachis on the five-leaflet leaf varied from 26/32 to 31/32 inchlong. The rachis on the seven-leaflet leaf was noted to be generallylonger, between 1⅛ to 1½ inches long. The girth was found to be fromjust less than 1/16 inch on the five-leaflet leaves and 1/16 to 3/32inch on the seven-leaflet leaves. The colors of the adaxial surface onyoung leaves were a bit lighter than on the petioles. The abaxialsurface was the same as on the petiole. There were a few stipitateglands along the ridges. Hairs, stipes and a few stipitate glands werefound in the grooves near and at the juncture with the petiolules.

Petiolules on the young foliage were darker along the ridges, between176D and 185C, with the grooves flushed lighter with the same color. Theabaxial surfaces were flushed with near 187C. Stipitate glands and arare hair were observed on the ridges. Grooves were mostly glabrous,with hairs and stipes found near and at the base of each, with theexception of the petiolule to the terminal leaflet where the only hairsor stipitate glands were found right at the juncture with the leafletblade. The reverse of all was glabrous. Lengths to terminal leafletsvaried from 9/16 to 14/16 inch. Lengths to the basal leaflets variedfrom 3/32 to 3/16 inch. Occasionally these lengths varied from 1/32 to3/32 in a pair of leaflets.

Stipules paired at the base of the petioles had 16/32 to 23/32 inchattached to the petiole, with pairs being even in length or lengthsdiffering by up to ¼ inch. The tips were acuminate, usually the insidemargin angled from the peduncle by up to 30°, and the outer margin ranparallel to the peduncle. Tips varied in length from 7/32 to 12/32 inchand lengths varied within a pair by 1/32 or 2/32 inch. Margins appeareddentate: often the margin of one was lined with stipitate glands andoccasional gland-tipped serrates, while the margin of the other waslined with gland-tipped serrates with additional stipitate glands on thesides of and/or between some serrates. The color on the older foliagewas a dark green, between 137B and 146A, on the upper surface. Thereverse was near 146B with a small area of a much lighter green, near145B, just before they attached to the petiole.

Variations regarding the leaves: Occasionally, attached to ridges of thepetiole and or petiolules was a small simple leaf-like appendage, withno visible petiole. These were attached at random places along theridges, though they were most often observed near the juncture of a pairof leaflets. Usually they were linear-subulate, or narrow oblongtapering at both ends, with acute or acicular apices. A central vein wasvisible the entire length of this leaflet, with a few lateral veins.Lengths noted varied from 5/32 to 9/32 inch and widths from 2/32 to 3/32inch. Their coloring was the same as the leaflets.

Prickles are very rare on the canes of this new invention. A singleprickle was found on a candelabra stem. It was 9/32 inch long, graduallynarrowing to a point, and angled downward. The color was near 175A atthe tip and became near 183C at the base. More commonly, prickles wereobserved on the abaxial surface of the rachis. They varied in lengthfrom 2/32 to 3/32 inch when present. The color was generally aGreyed-Orange-Purple, between 175A and 183B when young and graduallybecame a Greyed-Red, near 181B, on older foliage.

Resistance to blackspot, downy mildew, rust and insects was aboveaverage. The new invention is susceptible to powdery mildew.

1. A new and distinct variety of rose plant is claimed, substantially asdescribed and illustrated herein.